Kuomintang rival Hou Yu-ih 結果共8筆

Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je clarifies his past remarks questioning the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) apparent favor towards his Kuomintang (KMT) rival, Hou Yu-ih, and small donations from Taiwanese businessmen in China to the KMT. Hou takes offense and accuses Ko and the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate, Lai Ching-te, of ＂smearing＂ tactics. Hou also opposes foreign interference in Taiwan’s elections. Hou accuses Ko and Lai of property-related irregularities, implying potential illicit behavior. Ko reiterates that he was only inquiring about the CCP’s regard for Hou and refuses to discuss the property issues raised by Hou.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te criticizes Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Hou Yu-ih for spreading disinformation about social housing developments. Lai responds to accusations made during the second Central Election Committee (CEC) policy presentation by stating that his administration had plans for over 200 social housing units, currently under construction in Tainan. Lai also highlights his establishment of the National Housing and Urban Regeneration Center (HURC) during his time as Premier, which has aided in social housing development. He credits President Tsai Ing-wen for surpassing local governments in the construction of social housing, thanks to the HURC’s establishment.

Taiwan People’s Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je criticized his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) competitor Lai Ching-te for avoiding the nuclear energy debate and lacking long-term planning. Ko argued that Lai’s commitment to a nuclear-free homeland by 2025 would cost him votes, particularly from the business sector. He questioned the feasibility of turning nuclear power on and off at will. Ko also criticized his Kuomintang rival, Hou Yu-ih, for impeding the operation of dry storage facilities at nuclear plants one and two, resulting in a stalemate where spent fuel rods cannot be removed. Ko expressed support for extending the service lives of nuclear plants two and three and called for a thorough check-up of plant four before making any decisions. He emphasized the need for a pragmatic approach to nuclear power rather than treating the idea of a nuclear-free homeland as an ideology. Ko highlighted the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and mentioned that 22 nations proposed tripling nuclear power by then at COP28.

During a campaign event in New Taipei City, Kuomintang (KMT) vice-presidential candidate Jaw Shaw-kong mistakenly referred to the election day on Jan. 13 as ’Jan. 15.’ He quickly corrected himself, stating that they would be a president-elect on Jan. 15 next year, which received enthusiastic applause from supporters. This is not the first verbal gaffe from Jaw, as he has made other slips of the tongue recently. He called out the rival Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Lai Ching-te instead of his own party’s presidential hopeful Hou Yu-ih during a policy presentation by the Central Election Committee (CEC). Furthermore, he referred to former KMT chairman Johnny Chiang as a ’terrorist of peace for Taiwan’ instead of DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te during a campaign event in Taichung. Jaw also criticized the DPP’s governance record over the last eight years, arguing that their belief in a change of personnel and party now resonated with the DPP itself.

Presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih pledges to reinstate Constitution Day as a public holiday in Taiwan if elected. He argues that the Constitution carries the founding spirit of the Republic of China (ROC) and forms the foundation of the rule of law. Hou criticizes his rival, Lai Ching-te, for suggesting that the ROC constitution hinders Taiwan’s unity, calling it a myth. He also accuses Lai of attempting to erase the spirit of the nation’s founding and the rule of law by cutting Constitution Day and other public holidays. Hou promises to protect the spirit of the country and uphold workers’ rights by restoring Constitution Day as a public holiday.

Jaw Shau-kong, the Kuomintang (KMT) vice-presidential candidate, criticized the lack of access to university campuses for his campaign activities, claiming that this privilege was given to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) before his candidacy. He was previously invited to speak at National Tsing Hua University, National Chiao Tung University, and Chinese Culture University, but these engagements were later canceled by the universities. Jaw believes that nurturing university students’ interest in democracy is important and plans to speak at various higher education institutions, aiming to facilitate exchanges with students from at least five schools. His first campus speech will take place at his alma mater, Taichung First Senior High School. KMT presidential nominee Hou Yu-ih and DPP rival Lai Ching-te have also engaged with the student electorate, participating in youth forums and delivering speeches at various universities. People First Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je has also been invited to speak at universities, highlighting the trend of presidential and vice-presidential hopefuls engaging with students across Taiwan.

In a closely contested presidential race in Taiwan, a recent poll by Formosa Magazine shows that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, Lai Ching-te, holds a slim lead over his Kuomintang (KMT) rival, Hou Yu-ih. Lai stands at 31.4%, while Hou is close behind at 31.1%, and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) contender, Ko Wen-je, trails at 25.2%. The razor-thin margin of just 0.3 percentage points between Lai and Hou highlights the intense competition as Taiwan enters the final stage of the election. This election also presents the possibility of a shift in political power, with 27.8% supporting the continuation of the DPP government, 26.8% backing the KMT, and 16.5% siding with the TPP. Approximately 2.9% of the population supports an independent candidate. DPP sources claim that recent unusual polling activities are due to vigorous mobilization by the pan-blue and white camps (KMT and TPP), which have anomalously driven declared rates from about 50% to a staggering 90%. The poll was conducted over three days, from Nov. 21-23, using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) and had a valid sample size of 1,331 respondents. The poll paints a picture of a fiercely contested election, with an electorate divided on its future leadership.

In a Facebook announcement, Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je’s campaign manager Vivian Huang confirmed that Ko will persist as the TPP’s presidential candidate in Taiwan’s 2024 election. Huang had earlier represented the campaign at the Central Election Commission (CEC) to obtain the necessary forms. Ko’s rival candidate, Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang (KMT), proposed that both parties publicly review nine opinion polls and broadcast the process live, but Huang dismissed the idea, asserting that the scientific data would not change. Huang emphasized that Ko intended to run as the TPP nominee, even without a formal partnership with the KMT. Ko’s campaign spokesman, Austin Tai, reiterated the unwavering nature of Ko’s candidacy and clarified his current status in the race. While Ko plans to hold campaign meetings with his staff on Thursday, he has no intention of registering at the CEC on that day. Despite the ongoing election fervor, Ko Wen-je remains a steadfast figure in Taiwan’s dynamic political landscape, determined to contest the presidency, whether or not he receives broader coalition support.